Gaidaros Basileus
by lovenarnia
Summary: The Tragedy of Queen Susan and Rabadash of Calormene, in the Style of Lirenel's Petros Basileus and a dash of Greek Tragedy. AU
1. ACT I

**This is in the style of Greek Tragedies and Lirenel's ****_Petros Basileus_****, if the title didn't give it away. You will probably recognize some lines scattered here and there from her work (Liris of Anvard being the example for all other tragedians, of course).**

**You can read ****_Petros Basileus_**** here: ffn s/4505043/4/Petros-Basileus. I highly recommend it.**

* * *

**ACT I**

_Time: 14 years into the reign of High King Peter and his siblings.  
Scene: The throne room of Cair Paravel. A group of old centaurs stands at the left of the four thrones, looking grave. The choregos, Solstorm, wisest of the creatures and honored among centaurs, steps forward from the group._

Solstorm:

Day has passed uninterrupted into night,  
and evening clothes all in her soft light.  
In the great castle of Cair Paravel upon the sea,  
the Kings and Queens meet secretly in council.

CHORUS:  
Alas, for never have the sovereigns done so.  
It is the will of Aslan that councils be in the sight of all.  
Shall they go against the command of the highest King?  
Oh misdirected sovereigns, what madness is this?  
What stroke of evil has put this into your breasts?  
Woe shall befall Narnia when her rulers deliberate in secret!

_The Chorus retreat and bow their heads._

_PETER, SUSAN, EDMUND, and LUCY enter from a door to the side of the room. Regal and richly attired, they take their places on the thrones._

PETER:  
Fair consorts! Have heard the tidings of Rabadash,  
who comes to pay court to our fair sister?  
By all reports from the scouts which went from our fair brother,  
he marches with an army great and terrible.  
Verily, the sun appeareth darkened in mine eyelids.  
Shall Narnia and our fair queen  
fall to the armies of Tash the inexorable?

EDMUND:  
My king, though thou'rt fair as the dawning of the sun,  
surely you wrong him.  
How shall it be if, in the heat of a moment,  
you wreak vengeance on a Prince  
who comes merely to pay court  
to the illustrious star of Narnia,  
Susan of the Southern Sun?

PETER:  
Surely you jest.  
Hast forgotten that the Prince is prince  
of a land that seeketh to swallow up our fair country whole?  
Nay, but we shall refuse to see him.  
Susan, what say you?

SUSAN:  
Sire, an you press me to speak, I shall make an answer.  
In my heart there is naught but dark forebodings.  
I am of two minds.  
There is aught in that our fair brother speaks.  
Am I not the Queen of the Southern Sun?  
Why therefore should I shrink  
from taking upon me the mantle  
of the Queen of the Southern Lands?  
Yet, thou'rt right when thou sayest that he is  
an emissary of a hostile land.

PETER:  
Yea, is as I feared.  
Art enamoured of the man!  
Vile, deceitful, offscouring as he is!

LUCY:  
Surely you do him an injustice, fair brother.  
Hast never met the Prince and canst not know  
of what mettle he is fashioned.

PETER:  
Well, then! Let him come.  
We shall not be daunted by a barbarian prince.

CHORUS:  
They know not they have welcomed a serpent.  
Enflamed by the beauty of the eldest Queen,  
He shall not return unsatisfied.  
Aslan grant that the union be for the best.  
Alas, we fear that Tashbaan shall triumph ere long.  
And weep, oh Narnia: your Gentle Queen is lost.  
Weep for the empty throne in Cair Paravel.

_Enter RABADASH. PETER stands._

PETER:  
We bid you welcome,  
Rabadash, son of Tarnashim Tisroc.

RABADASH:  
Verily the flattering reports of the Queen's beauty have been mistaken.  
For fairer far is she than that we have been led to believe.

SUSAN:  
You do me honor, Prince.  
We would not have you be dismayed.

_RABADASH bows low._

RABADASH:

Forgive me,  
Queen Susan of the Southern Sun.  
Of a truth, until now I was persuaded  
that 'twas your sister who was the Gentle Queen.

_He kisses LUCY's hand. She blushes and runs from the room._

RABADASH:

Though she is lovely and beautiful,  
even her beauty pales before yours.

_He kisses SUSAN's hand._

CHORUS:  
Would that the serpent had been banished!  
Even now it is fed and nourished on the best of Paravel.  
Surely within and without is treachery and lies.  
A Gentle Queen wooed away from her land, her only love.  
A Valiant Queen, dismissed as second to her sister.  
The Tisroc of tomorrow has set his sights high,  
But without the Gentle Queen Narnia shall be destroyed.  
Back to the caves and forests go we now,  
Returning to the Cair with news of the stars.  
Aslan, show all the truth  
To those that sit upon the thrones  
And let not the serpent have his prey.  
Aslan's will be done

_CHORUS exits left. End Act I._


	2. ACT II

**This is in the style of Greek Tragedies and Lirenel's ****_Petros Basileus_****, if the title didn't give it away. You will probably recognize some lines scattered here and there from her work (Liris of Anvard being the example for all other tragedians, of course).**

**You can read ****_Petros Basileus_**** here: ffn s/4505043/1/Petros-Basileus. I highly recommend it.**

**The names of the characters and inspiring situation belong to C.S. Lewis. I must take responsibility for the OOC-ness and AU-ness.**

* * *

**ACT II**

_Scene: Outside Castle Cair Paravel. The centaur chorus stands beside the gaping arches. _

_RABADASH and SUSAN enter through the arches. The Narnians follow, mournfully. RABADASH and SUSAN exit right._

_PETER watches them go._

PETER:  
Ah, sister! Never could have wed  
A better man. Surely he is a man  
Worthy of thy gentleness to grace his court.  
Would I have never doubted him!  
He is a valuable ally indeed.

_EDMUND enters from the arches._

EDMUND:  
Brother, I wot that thou art satisfied.  
Alas, before the day is through,  
Thou shalt rue the day thou gavest her to him.  
I now have but one sister.  
The Gentle died to me  
The moment she joined herself to him.

PETER:  
How now, brother?  
Methinks thou art jealous  
That I approved when thou didst not.

_PETER and EDMUND exit right._

_SOLSTORM steps forward._

SOLSTORM:  
From desert land came forth the prince  
To snatch away our gentle Queen.  
What folly, yea, what tragedy  
That she should wed with such a man.  
Alas! our land shall never flourish  
Since Susan graces the Tisroc's court.  
Narnia's age of gold has ended forever.

_REMUS a dwarf enters from the arch._

SOLSTORM:  
Hail, dwarf Remus! How goes it in the Cair?  
Alas, what darkness has fallen upon our land  
Now that Kings and Queens  
Have parted ways.

REMUS:  
Alas, alas, alack-a-day!  
In her grief over the prince's marriage  
To her sister and not herself,  
Queen Lucy died by her own hand.

SOLSTORM:  
Queen Lucy, dead? Jest not.  
Surely nothing could induce our queen  
To cast away the Lion's gift  
In taking her own life.

REMUS:  
Alas, 'tis true. The Queen's grace  
Has fallen in her chambers.  
Her dagger pierced her very heart  
Ere any could prevent her.

CHORUS:  
Howl, O Narnia! Mourn, and weep!  
The Golden Age of Narnia has gone forever.  
The fulfillments of the prophecy  
Have left their Lion, Lord and Master  
To find a poor substitute in death and riches.  
Alas, O Narnia! How are the mighty fallen!  
How are the sovereigns cast down  
From their ordained thrones.


End file.
